


Nightmares

by writermegs17



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-22 01:04:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9575015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writermegs17/pseuds/writermegs17
Summary: When they were kids Iris was the one to comfort Barry after his nightmares. Now  it's his turn to comfort her. Pre-series/ Post 3X10





	

Three weeks ago, Iris’s fifth grade classmate, Barry Allen, moved in at the West Household. You see, Barry’s mom was murdered and they took his dad into custody because he was found guilty of her murder. Iris knows that Henry Allen is innocent though. Partially because Barry has done nothing but swear to her that he didn’t do it, and partially because she always sees the good in people, and from what she knows about her friend’s father, it just doesn’t add up. Barry always has nightmares, Iris knows this because she always lets him run into her room, she doesn’t want him to feel alone. And then, just seconds later, she hears him running down the hallway.

“Barry, what is it? What’s wrong?”  She asks, the vacancy in his big, blue eyes worrying her.

“I-I know w-what k-killed m-my m-m-mom. There was a m-man in the streak of light I saw.” Barry stammers, tears running down his cheeks.

“Oh Barry, are you even sure that’s possible?”

“P-please Iris, you have to believe me, you have to.”

“I believe you, I promise.”

“J- I mean, your dad doesn’t believe me.”  
Iris frowns, because as much as it hurts her to think of her dad being wrong, she knows Barry’s right about that.

“Give him a little time, he’s a cop, the facts have to add up for him to believe something is true, but I know my dad will believe you eventually.”

“ I know my dad, he would never hurt my mom, never. And now she’s gone.” Barry says, his sobs resuming themselves.

Iris doesn’t know what to say so she just takes the boy’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I know, I’m so sorry, your mom sounds like a wonderful person.

 Then Barry starts to smile, but only a little. “She was, I really miss her.”

“Do you want to talk about it?  We don’t have to, but I’m here if you want to.”

“I know it was just a dream, but it was so real that I thought I had to watch her die again.”

“Do you have nightmares about it often?”

  Barry nods his head, a tiny frown creeping onto his lips. “Every night usually.”   He says and Iris can feel her heart breaking for her friend. Eleven-year-old boys should never have to go through that much.

“Barry, I really think you should tell my dad about these nightmares.”

“Iris, I told you, he doesn’t believe me.”  
“I know he doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t want to know that you can’t sleep.  He cares about you, you know that, don’t you?”

“I do, I’m just not used to not living with my mom and dad yet.”  
“I can go with you to talk to him about it if you want.  Maybe that way it won’t be so scary for you.”

Barry smiles, he doesn’t know much about her just yet, but now he knows that Iris West is probably the nicest girl in the fifth grade at Central City Elementary School. “Yeah,” He says, “I’d like that, but can we tell him about it tomorrow? Right now, I just really want to try to go to sleep.”

“Of course, and you can sleep here for a bit, I won’t tell my dad.  Good night, Barry.”

“Night, Iris.” Barry says, and for the first time in three weeks he closes his eyes and falls peacefully asleep.

 The next morning, Iris wakes to find that Barry has barely moved away from the tiny spot next to her in the bed.  She smiles softly, that must mean that he has slept well for the first time since the weeks following his mother’s death. Just before adjusting the tiny pink house slippers on her feet, she feels a tiny nudge at her shoulder.

“Morning, Barry.” She says, politely grinning at him.

 The boy just smiles. “Thank you for letting me sleep in here last night.”  
 “You’re welcome. Nobody should ever feel scared alone.”  
“I didn’t have nightmares the rest of the night.”  
“I’m so glad, but I’m still making you to tell my daddy about them.”

“Iris… no… please?” Barry pleads with her, a sad look in his big, blue eyes.

“Barry, he won’t be upset with you, I promise.” Iris assures, leading him down the hall and into the living room.

“Daddy,” Iris says, squeezing Barry’s hand to let him know he’ll be okay, and turning to face Joe. “I think that Barry has something he wants to tell you.”

Joe turns to look at the young boys standing in front of him, a genuine look of concern in his eyes. “What’s up kid?”

“I um, I’ve been having bad dreams about my mom’s death.”  Barry says plainly.

 Joe can feel his heartbreaking for the little boy in front of him. “I see, and is there any reason why you didn’t tell me any sooner?”  
  Barry  can feel his pale cheeks turning red. “I guess that I was scared and embarrassed, I mean, I barely know you.”

“You don’t have to be scared, I know I’m not your dad, and that everything about your new living situation is strange to you, but you need to know that you can always come to me, okay? No matter what.” 

“Okay, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“Barry, you don’t need to be sorry, you’re still learning to trust me, I get that.”  
“I just don’t want you to think that I don’t appreciate you letting me come and live with you and Iris. It’s a really big deal.”

“No it isn’t, I know it’s not the same as what you have at home, but you’re a part of this family now, Barry Allen, and Iris and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Joe says, and he pulls Barry into a hug, and for the first time since he came to stay there, Barry hugs him back.

When they’re walking back to her room, Iris smiles at Barry “See I told you he wouldn’t be mad.” She says.

“Yeah, I guess you did. Thank you for believing me, Iris.”

XXX

In the hours following their lovely house warming party, Barry has hardly had time to think about the possibility of Iris’s pending death.  For at least the past few hours, nothing has been dark in his life, all that has mattered is the wonderful life that he and Iris are starting to build together. He finally gets to sleep when just two hours later both he and Iris awake with a start both of their heart’s almost beating out of their chests.

I saw it happen, I saw myself die.” Iris says, and you can hear the tremendous amount of fear in her voice, even though she isn’t crying.

  Barry sits up and looks at her, immediately saying with his eyes that he had just dreamt the same thing. “It’s okay, we know it won’t ever be real for either one of us. I’m going to make sure that no one ever hurts you, you know that.”

Finally, Iris allows herself to cry. “But what if you can’t though?  What if you can’t save me?”

“I’m going to save you Iris, it’s all going to be alright.”

“The scary thing is we can’t know anything about this, we can only predict, and hope that I don’t die.”

“You aren’t going to die, this might not make any sense to you, but I can feel in my heart that I’m not going to lose you.”  
 Iris half smiles. “I feel it too.”  
“Then why are you rationalizing with your death?”  
“Because, you need me to be strong for you, you need me to be okay with the idea that my death could be happening, because I know you’re not okay, and one of us has to be. You’ll get crushed if I’m not.” Iris sobs.

“Shhh, Iris, of course you don’t have to be strong for me you’re the one this is happening to you’re the one that gets to fall apart, and I get to protect you.  Hell, both of us can fall apart no one has to be strong right now.”  
“But my strength, that’s a reason why you love me.”

“Iris, it is, but it’s not important right now. Look at me, you can be strong if you want, but just know that I don’t expect that from you at a time like this.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not making sense right now.”

Barry shakes his head, pulling Iris closer to him and letting her lay her head on chest. “You’re making perfect sense. Okay, it’s your turn to be scared, I’ll protect you with everything I have.” He says, placing a kiss to the very top of Iris’s head.

“I know you will. My hero.”

“You’re mine too, you know that.”

“But I don’t save the world, I can’t help you save me.”

“Iris West, you are the most brilliant and selfless and brave person I’ve ever met. Nothing on this earth is more heroic than that.”

“Promise me if I die, you won’t shut everyone out.”  
“Iris…”

“Barry please, promise. I need you to promise.” Iris says through tears.

Wiping the tears off his girlfriend’s cheek. Barry chokes out an agreement. “Alright Sweetheart, I promise.” He says, now crying himself. Barry’s never called iris sweetheart before, but it’s a warm, comfortable, and committed term, and he knows that’s exactly what she needs right now.

“Thank you.”  
“Why don’t you try and go back to sleep okay?” I’ll be right here.”

“I can’t.”  
“You know what I think our future looks like? The real one, our destiny?”

“Yeah.”

“You and I are going to get Savatar out of our lives, and we’re going to get married, and start a family, and we’re going to grow old together. You’re my destiny, my forever, Iris.”

“That sounds perfect, but I’m scared we won’t get it.”

“We will, I can feel it. We’re meant to be together in every universe, even this terrible cruel one.”

“Thank you for protecting me.”

“Always.”

“I love you.”  
“I love you too, why don’t you close your eyes and go to sleep now, baby? You need to get some sleep, it’s been a pretty big few days.”

“No, I need you to hold me.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

“I really wish that I could spend forever, every second of it in your arms.”  
“I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”

“Aren’t you scared…?”

“I’m terrified Iris, but you know what?  You need me right now, and the feeling of being loved and needed Is even bigger then my fear right now. Because I love you Iris West, I love you with everything inside of my heart, and it’s my job to protect you, you know that.”  
“Yeah, I do, but you need to take care of yourself, Bear, you can’t lose yourself in saving everyone.”  
“I was wrong, your strength isn’t why love you.  You’re the most selfless person I know, even when you’re terrified like you are right now, you’re thinking of me.  It’s a remarkable gift to be that selfless, I’m so proud of you for it.  But, you can let yourself go, I’ll be here.”  
“I know, you’ve always loved me more than I ever knew, and I don’t know how to thank you for that, for taking care of me.”  
“You don’t ever have to thank me, you have been taking care of me since we were eleven, it’s about time I return the favor.”

“You know, living together as a couple reminds me of all those times when we were a little and I let you sleep in bed with me after you had nightmares, it’s nice to see you do the same for me after all this time. You’re remarkable man, Barry Allen.”

“You always made me feel safe.”  
“You make me feel safe now, and it’s the best feeling in the world.”

“I’ll never stop keeping you safe.”  
“Now, I can fall asleep, right here in your protective arms. Good night I love you.”

“I love you too.” Barry says, and then he turns to kiss his girlfriend good night, and smiles, Iris is already asleep, her left hand, placed adoringly right on top of his, and he’s never been more confident that she will live to see him place a wedding ring on it someday. Just for tonight though, kissing it to brush away the horrible nightmares, will be perfect.


End file.
